


Always By Your Side

by SteelRedemption



Series: Pokemon Romance Fics [3]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Human/Pokemon Relationship(s), JustLongEnoughToBeSatisfying, Love Confessions, PAWS, Pokemon Evolution, Pokephilia, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Romance, TooLongToBeALemon, TooShortToBeARomance, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 04:26:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20633057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteelRedemption/pseuds/SteelRedemption
Summary: A tradesman and his Pokemon, a boy and his Eevee, traversing the world together like partners always do. Companions as close as them always want the best for each other. Because of this, Sylas is always very impartial when it comes to the subject of evolution. His pokemon, Grace, has a magical decision before her, and it's not his business to sway her opinion on which element is best for her. However, when his fate suddenly depends on her choice, she chooses him... Always.





	Always By Your Side

The brightness of the sun, the stillness of the air, the quiet of the cold, they all helped to lend an absolute tranquility to the snowy mountainside. A tradesman and his Pokemon were the only souls for miles who could enjoy this natural beauty. To marvel, however, was one thing; to traverse, another entirely. A thick blanket of snow slowed their progress across the mountain and precluded their usual efficient pace of jogging or running. Often, the slant of the terrain slowed them even further in the interest of safety. Taking a spill down a snowy incline would be beyond catastrophic, regardless of who it was that fell.

As the duo came to a clearing, the snow grew deeper. So deep that the human could no longer swing his heavy boots over the surface with each step. With big exaggerated movements, he hobbled from side to side, throwing each foot across the top of the snow and splashing the powdered ice about with each step. Sometimes, the snow would dust the swath before him, and sometimes a stray gust of wind would whisk it down the hill.

Beyond the snow pants, boots, scarf and the five layers of warm clothing around his torso, the human also sported a light backpack. It was designed for running and climbing. It hugged his frame and refused to swing and slap his body after movement. It had a very low capacity, and was only responsible for holding a few things: some basic climbing gear was strapped about the outside and a collection of gems shifted and rattled within. The dull clacking inside the bag was caused by their recent acquisitions and the goal of the trip: one Fire Stone, one Water Stone, two Leaf Stones, two Thunder Stones, two Shiny Stones, four Moon Stones, and nine Ice Stones.

Evolution stones generally sold for a high price, so knowing how to find them can be a very lucrative skill to have. As expected, the snowy mountains in northern Sinnoh primarily formed Ice Stones over time, many of which were far beyond the reach of unprepared Pokemon trainers. Sylas made his living by climbing down ravines, scaling cliff sides, and exploring rock formations; all to fetch the rare stones that simple travelers either overlook or can’t access. His efficiency came from his athletic build, his light bag of necessities, and his well-developed acumen.

His pokemon, Grace, wasn’t nearly as prepared for the task or the terrain. She didn’t have the body of a decathlete, nor could she use the tools her owner did. She had little experience as a stone hunter and her diminutive form lent itself poorly to climbing, reaching, lifting, and jumping. The little Eevee could barely keep up with her owner, but this didn't damper her mood. Someday, when she evolved, she would go diving for Water Stones and lift boulders off of Leaf Stones with her partner. But for now, she was happy to follow and explore, watch and learn.

Wondering how his companion was faring in the deep snow, Sylas paused to look for her. Several short puffs of steam escaped through the human’s scarf, a laugh muffled by fabric. He was expecting to find his companion hopping across the footsteps left by his winter boots. But no, the Eevee found it more fun to burrow, swim and play in the sea of snow instead. Eventually, the pokemon realized that she was being watched, and looked up at her owner with a big dopey grin. 

“Having fun?” he asked, though the answer was obvious.

The Eevee nodded happily, flinging some of the frozen dust from her fluffy head.

“Well, don’t tucker yourself out, Sweet Pea, we have a lot of ground to cover today~” he warned, though his words held little weight. He was happy to see that his girl was having fun on the job, because he certainly wasn’t. Sylas wasn’t a big fan of the cold. If he had his choice of venue, he’d have much more fun diving for Water Stones in Lake Valor, or poking about for Shiny Stones in the Eterna Forest. But this… this was very numb work. The only reason he chose to hike across northern Sinnoh was a recent jump in the value of Ice Stones. Thankfully, no matter where he decided to go, his companion seldom complained.

“Eevee~ [_ I won't~ _],” she sang back, confident that her owner could interpret her Pokespeak with relative ease.

The duo made their way across the clearing and entered a thicket of pine trees on the opposite end. The snow grew shallow here, eight or nine inches, low enough for each of them to walk semi-comfortably once again. Grace shook herself off, trying to fling the snow from her blond mane in an attempt to keep dry. It was a fruitless effort. Much of the snow had already melted from her body heat and soaked into her thick coat. A chill rushed down her spine, as did a hint of embarrassment. She tried to hide her mistake behind a casual facade. She waited for the creeping cold to pass without calling attention to her folly, but it never did. As they continued to walk, the moisture in her fur only grew colder and colder. Until finally, the numbness in her paws prompted her to speak up.

“E-Eevee? [_ M-Master? _]” she called after her owner, a violent shiver forcing her to stutter.

She didn’t have to explain herself to the masked human. Sylas had expected she would get cold eventually, and happily knelt down at her beckon. With opened arms, he wordlessly invited his companion to hop into them, which she graciously accepted. With his pokemon cradled in one arm, Sylas unzipped his heavy winter coat with the other. Grace squirmed slightly as she was lowered against his chest and surrounded by her owner’s body heat. Sylas resealed his coat around her, leaving enough room for both of their heads to poke out of the top.

“Eevee… [_ Thank you… _],” she mumbled, abashed but warm.

“Of course~” He bumped her temple lovingly with his cheek and continued across the mountain. They continued for another quarter mile before Sylas was given an idea to break the silence.

“Have you ever considered becoming a Glaceon?” he suggested. “Glaceon can’t get cold... And we have more than enough Ice Stones!”

Grace hummed at the proposition as her imagination played with it. “[_ Well, how often are we going to be hunting for Ice Stones? I don’t want to be sweltering away on every other outing just for the sake of being comfortable up here... _]” 

“Well… No, not exactly. Glaceon are comfortable at most temperatures. Anything under boiling will be just fine.” Sylas explained.

“[_ That doesn’t make any sense, isn’t their body temperature below freezing or something? _]” Grace tilted her head in confusion, her fluffy cheek brushing against her partner’s scarf.

“Haven’t I already told you about their endothermic hearts?”

Grace’s ears perked up. “[_ Their what? _]”

Sylas smiled at the topic. “Right! So I already told you that they can control their body temperature, but the way they do that is really cool. Their heart is ‘endothermic’ meaning it can take energy out of their blood stream and convert it into chemical energy. They can use this energy later to supplement their caloric needs. This means that in warm climates, they can comfortably go months at a time without eating because their heart draws and utilizes the energy from the warm air around them. This also means their blood can remain comfortably below freezing.”

“[_ So, as a Glaceon… I won’t get hungry as often? _]”

“Well, no, I suppose you won’t. Is that a problem?”

“[_ Well, I enjoy your cooking a bit too much for that~ _]” she asserted. Sylas chuckled at the undeserved flattery. He treated her when they stopped at home or had access to a kitchen elsewhere, but he certainly didn’t think the occasional prepared meal was worth mentioning.

“If you’re trying to stay thin, I’d imagine Leafeon is off the table as well. The photosynthetic fur basically does what the endothermic heart does in terms of hunger.”

Grace laughed. “[_ Do they all have goofy adaptations like that?_] ”

Sylas thought for a moment. “Yup, all of em’, so you better find a ‘goofy’ organ that you don’t mind having~”

“[_ What do Umbreon have? _]”

“OH! They have a couple of the coolest ones!” Sylas chirped. He proceeded to spend the next five minutes extolling all of the unique qualities that accompanied the species. Being a stone hunter by trade, he knew everything there was to know about the Pokemon who used them, and reveled at the opportunity to discuss all of the fun details Grace had to consider when deciding which to evolve into.

Grace was... less passionate about the subject than her partner was, but she feigned interest regardless. She didn’t care much about the hygiene changes that would occur if she developed a Vaporeon’s gills or the sudden nocturnality of becoming an Umbreon, but she thought it was very sweet that Sylas wanted her to make the right decision. So she let him talk about all the esoteric traits of this eeveelution and that one, until finally, she had an opportunity to ask the one thing she actually wanted to know:

“[_ Which one is your favorite? _]”

Sylas paused his trudge through the snow. “My favorite?”

Grace nodded innocently as he continued walking. She knew she broached a sensitive subject.

“Well… It doesn’t really matter what my favorite is. It’s your decision which you want to be, not mine.”

“[_ Well, you still have to live with me, so I want your input~ _]” Grace couldn’t possibly lilt her voice to be more playful and encouraging. She felt she had to if she was going to get an answer.

Sylas sighed. 

“[_ Come on, Master~ _ ]” Grace purred sweetly as she rubbed her cheek against his. “[ _ I won’t let it sway my choice. I just want to know~ _]” 

Sylas’ smile was hidden behind his scarf.

“Favorite is a very broad term…”

“[_ Oh? _]”

“Of course! The one which is my favorite type is different than the one that I find the coolest… Glaceon is my favorite in terms of fun adaptations, but Vaporeon have the most soothing voice out of all of them… So that question depends on what you mean by ‘favorite’”

“[_ Well… which one do you find to be the most… _ ]” Grace paused. “[ _ Which one is the most... attractive? _]” she finally forced out, unsure about her use of the word ‘attractive’ in this scenario.

“The most beautiful one, huh?” Sylas considered the question for several moments. “It’s close, but I’ll say… Flareon.”

Grace perked up, clearly surprised that she got a definitive answer.

“[_ W-what do you like about them? _]”

Sylas paused again to formulate his words.

“Their fur, probably. It’s soft and warm and it makes them look… ‘better proportioned’, let's say. Most of the other evolutions are too thin and athletic to be ‘attractive’ as you put it. Flareon are the only ones with big poofy fur that accentuates their chest and... well…” Sylas paused “... Their haunches, I suppose...” Grace’s ears perked up at his last statement. He was as objective as possible up until a faint glimmer of longing in his final words, a moment of honesty he didn’t plan. Sylas felt a similar surprise at his words, however, his was from a desire to take them back.

“[_ I see… _]” Grace spoke after a long pause, only to fall quiet once again.

The two of them spent the following moments in silence. The only sound to fill the mountainside was the occasional rush of wind through pine and the rhythmic crunch of boot through snow. Thankfully, they were both rescued from the tension by a well-timed distraction, the faint sound of flowing water.

“Ah! A river!” Sylas was beyond eager to talk about something else.

“[_Right!_ _A river…_]” Grace was quick to agree, but she couldn’t hide her distracted introspection. The normal-type quickly fell silent once again as her mount brought them to the subject of interest.

“Well, what do you think?” 

Grace flinched as the question woke her from her daydream. She looked down from Sylas’ shoulder at the frozen road before her. Visually, the river appeared still and lifeless, just another terrain to walk over. The sounds that it made told a different story. It hummed and rattled with internal movement. Beneath it’s icy shell, water still flushed down the hill with violence and vigor. Sylas appraised the frozen river with interest and excitement, but Grace regarded it with apprehension.

“[_ You’re not planning on looking for stones under that ice, are you? _]”

“Of course! This place is perfect! Nice and rural, tons of elemental energy moving through, hard to get to… It wouldn’t surprise me if half of the riverbed is Ice and Water stones!” Sylas explained as he removed Grace from his coat.

“[_ That’s way too dangerous! Come on! Think about this! _]” she argued as her butt was deposited in the snow. Grace pouted at his ability to so easily do so, to plop her down like a small sack of potatoes. If she was closer to his size, she would be able to physically stop him, to cut off his path and talk some sense into him.

Sylas removed the ice axe from his backpack before tossing the bag of evolution stones to his companion. Even the backpack was bigger than she was, forcing her to hop out of the way of the incoming object.

“Oh, relax, I’ll be fine. I’ve done this several times before!” 

“[_ You won’t be fine if you fall in! _]”

“If that happens, I can just stand up~” Sylas chirped, shrugging playfully. It was a small river, after all. Beneath the ice, it couldn’t be any deeper than two feet.

Grace couldn’t argue against his ability to merely step out of the water. All she could do was pout and slump back in the snow, helpless to stop her owner. Sylas smirked back at his Eevee before venturing onto the ice. “Just relax, everything will be fine~!”

Years of experience hunting evolution stones kicked in, and Sylas began poking around the frozen river with a curious excitement. On all fours, he held his ear against the ice at several different areas, searching for a spot where the turbulent rumble of the water was quietest. He knew that most evolution stones were less dense than common rocks. This would suggest that if a stone were to resist the current, it would need to be stuck in a small depression in the river bed. Essentially, the noise is softest when the water is slowest, slowest usually meant deepest, and deepest meant a collection area for evolution stones.

Sylas paused when he found what he was looking for. With giddy excitement, he exhaled deliberately atop the ice surface and rubbed away the frost. With the ice now translucent, he cupped his gloves around his eyes and peered down into the dark depths. A blurry mass gave off a faint glow from the riverbed, varying shades of blue. 

“Ah, Bingo~” Sylas straightened himself to see his companion looking on from the river bank, her brow furrowed in worry. “There must be five of six stones down there!”

“[_ Ok… just… _ ]” Grace paused to scrutinize the ice “[ _ Be careful! _]” she begged, her voice barely audible above the rumble of the river.

Sylas smirked at her concern, but it was unwarranted. In the very worst case, he gets his boots wet, a mild inconvenience. 

With ice axe in hand, Sylas began chipping away at the river. The ice was thin, only about six inches thick. With one hard swing, he could plant the pick of the axe clean through to the water, but there were more efficient ways of boring through. Slowly and carefully, he carved a large circle in the ice, a template for the hole he needed. As he wrapped around multiple times, he dug the circular trench a little deeper with each pass. Eventually, the carving grew so deep that icy water gushed from the crack like blood from a wound. The sputter and splash of the water was a glimpse at the violent forces swirling about mere inches below, a portent.

Grace was the only one who was deathly frightened by the massive pressure release of such a small leak.

“[_ Master!? _ ]” Grace spoke up once again, desperate to get her owner off of the ice by any distraction she could think of. “[ _ It’s...uh… It’s starting to snow! We should find a place to wait it out, right?! _]”

Sylas looked to the sky. He hadn’t realized it until Grace pointed it out, but it was indeed snowing, the first precipitation out of a swirling amalgamation of clouds above. Dark clouds were considered bad luck to many mountain climbers in the Sinnoh region, and there was little wonder why. Dark clouds meant lots of snow, and lots of snow brought calamity in many forms.

Sylas set the ice axe down for a moment as he thought the situation over. From the looks of it, it wasn’t going to be long before this light snow became a blizzard. If he left now and came back, his find would be hidden under a blanket of snow in the morning. Even if he managed to locate and dig out his circular carving, the river may be frozen solid after the nighttime freeze.

The human glanced around for an excuse to stay, and quickly found one, a compromise. Fortune smiled upon him in the form of a perfect place to wait out the storm within eye-shot. A small entrance into the side of the mountain, a sturdy shelter that needed no search nor construction. This convenience saved him the hour it normally took to seek shelter and bought him the time he needed to dig out his treasure.

“Hey, Grace, do you see that little cave up the hill?”

“[_ Yeah? _]”

“Can you grab my backpack and head up there? I only need five more minutes to crack this open.”

“[_ Master, Please! _]” she begged, her heart trembling in fear of the river.

“Five minutes, I promise!”

Sylas raised the ice axe and buried it’s heavy end into the ice. His manhole was already carved out, all he needed to do was open it. He cranked the handle back, attempting to pop the ice open like the lid from a paint can. The crack propagated around the circle allowing more water to splash out from underneath.

“Come on~” Sylas grunted as he applied more and more force to the handle, his progress reaching a halt. His eyes pinched shut as he couldn’t pull any harder. Growing frustrated, he relaxed his arm briefly and threw his body back, leveraging additional force from momentum. The sudden shock to the ice forced the crack open, opening the desired hole and shattering the ice around it in the process.

The human received little warning before he fell into the turbulent and icy current. He had no opportunity to feel the rush of adrenaline nor the sting of regret. All he had time for was one thought, one knee-jerk reaction before the platform fell apart beneath him: He needed to land on his feet.

Thankfully, he was in a good position to do just that. With a little backwards momentum, he managed to touch the riverbed with his boots first… if only for a moment. The current instantly swept his feet off of the slippery rocks and pulled him into the raging water. 

The last thing he heard before being sucked underneath the adjacent ice sheet was the frantic scream of his companion: “[_ MASTE-!!! _]”

What followed eclipsed all sensation. The water muffled his screams to silence, the light from where he fell in faded as he was carried downstream, deaf and blind. Even the freezing water numbed his skin so completely and instantly that he felt nothing. He fought it for a little while, pawing at the riverbed, trying to stop his fall into the endless abyss, perhaps hoping he could climb back to where he fell through. Fading consciousness and impending mortality was all that awaited his efforts.

\---

“I’m home!” Sylas called to a motionless house.

“Welcome, my boy!” A familiar voice called from within. “Have any luck out there?”

“Yup!” The fourteen-year-old boy chirped, following the voice to the study. “I found six Leaf Stones and a Fire Stone!”

“You did?” the boy’s father asked, genuinely impressed. “You were only gone for a few hours!” 

The middle-age man’s profession was obvious by the contents of his study. Scattered about the room were ornate wooden boxes, each with labels like: ‘B Grade Thunder Stones’ or ‘C Grade Dusk Stones’. The walls were lined with ledgers and record books, each outlining various business deals and transactions. The desk in the center of the chaos supported a collection of measurement and observation tools; scales, calipers, jeweler’s loupes, anything you would need to scrutinize the authenticity or grade of an evolution stone. Sylas’ father was a stone tradesman, and he bought and sold to all manner or storefronts across the Sinnoh region with great success.

It wasn’t just the decor of the study that gave this away, but also the Pokemon that accompanied him. The mahogany desk that sat in the middle of the room was surrounded by an assortment of cushions for his companions to lounge on. The man was surrounded by a rainbow of Pokemon: a Jolteon, a Vaporeon, a Sylveon, a Leafeon, and a Flareon (the Umbreon and the Glaceon were likely relaxing elsewhere in the house.) 

Many of these Pokemon lifted their heads from their pillows to greet Sylas when he entered, and those who did got an affectionate pat from the boy as he made his way over to his father. 

Sylas’ father, William, was not hard at work when his son entered. His feet were propped up on his desk, his chair was leaned back and his hands wandered about the final piece of his pokemon collection. Curled up on his lap was an Eevee, ears perpetually folded against her neck, eyes always down and away from the gaze of others. She seemed to be a very shy Pokemon by nature, but whenever she was receiving her daytime attention from William, she looked almost uncomfortable.

Sylas frowned at the apparent misery of the normal-type, but he straightened up and offered the stones he had found to his father.

“Well, let’s see what we have here~” William hummed as he opened the bag and began fishing out the precious rocks. The first one he removed was a sizable Leaf Stone, one that he regarded with admiration. “Very nice…” 

The man moved to set the stone on his desk, but the unsupported Eevee scrambled about in his lap to maintain balance. With his father’s hands full, it was up to Sylas to lunge forward and catch the normal-type before she slid from the man’s unsteady thighs. 

“Ah, I’m sorry, Darlin’” William apologized briefly. “Sylas, can you fix Espeon something to eat while I look these over?”

The boy and the pokemon both cringed at the utterance of her ‘name’. She was the last piece of his collection after all, and her role was already decided for her. Her name was a verbal reminder of her situation. During the day, she was given endless ‘affection’ in the hopes that it would help her evolve, but everyone knew what the attention really meant. William didn’t do it because he cared for her or wanted her to be happy, he wanted a complete collection. It was a chore for him, and it was no different for his ‘Espeon’. But that wasn’t the worst part. No, the worst part was how he treated her at night. His affection could have been concealed under a thin veil of sincerity if the sun never went down, because when it did, the normal-type ceased to exist. Sylas’ father wouldn’t pet her, feed her, or even look at her if it was dark outside. After all, the last thing he needed was another Umbreon.

It was little wonder why she walked around with a feeble posture and tired, depressed eyes. Every tummy rub she was given, every treat she received, was an obligation. Eevees evolve when they feel loved. Sylas didn’t see any of that when she was being pampered, she just looked stressed out.

The boy reset his hands around the feline and pulled her gently off of his father’s lap. The Eevee wasn’t particularly excited to be getting food, but she obediently climbed into the boy’s chest and waited to be walked to the kitchen.

Once there, Sylas set the Pokemon on the counter and opened the refrigerator. It was filled with all varieties of luxury food: choice slices of meat, exotic varieties of berries, and desserts… Arceus... were there desserts: cakes, cookies, poffins, ice cream, all reserved for the ‘enjoyment’ of the Espeon-to-be. 

Sylas looked back to the Eevee perched on the counter. As per usual, her posture was comparable to a sac of flour: hunched back, empty eyes, folded ears. She didn’t even care to see what her lunch was going to be. Sylas sighed.

“You’re not hungry, are you?” He asked, but the answer was obvious. She was never hungry. Sugar can be great, meat can be too, but when it’s every meal for five meals a day, they were nauseating.

The fact that he asked, however, drew the normal-type’s attention. Her posture didn’t change, but her eyes flicked timidly up at the human. 

“Eevee?” She replied out of curiosity.

“Well, I’m not gonna force you to eat~” Sylas chuckled lightly, realizing only afterwards that his father may very well have forced her to eat at some point. “Though, I am gonna get something for myself and I’d appreciate your company~” he invited.

The Eevee’s eyes wandered over to the study, and in it, her other option for companionship. 

“Eevee…” she mumbled. Something that would roughly translate to: “I’d like to stay in here, please…” 

Sylas frowned. Her answer held a hint of fear in it. As though she was not only bored of the fake ‘affection’ but also was afraid of his father, of his mounting disappointment, of what might happen if she failed to evolve soon. The boy patted the Pokemon on the head.

“Don’t you worry, Sweet Pea, you can stay here as long as you like~” 

The Eevee perked up at his soothing words. She looked up at the boy to find him smiling softly at her, a sympathetic and sincere smile, perhaps the first she’d ever seen. Her ears folded against her neck and her instincts guided her to smile back, a natural reaction that took her by surprise.

Sylas reopened the refrigerator and removed ingredients that the normal-type had never seen before. She tilted her head as the human set out a loaf of cheap bread, several slices of cheddar cheese, and a stick of butter. She watched curiously as he folded the cheese between the bread and cooked it in a pan over butter. When the boy finally slid the golden brown grilled cheese sandwich onto a plate, he noticed that his company was eyeing the mysterious food with wonder and intrigue.

When the Pokemon realized she was staring, she quickly averted her eyes and reminded herself that it wasn’t for her. Despite holding her gaze away out of respect for the boy and his food, her nose couldn’t stop twitching at the buttery aromas that filled the kitchen.

Sylas smiled at her attempts to act disinterested. She already declared that she wasn’t hungry, after all. Then again, the fact that she was so allured by the cheap food was very understandable. Her diet consisted of protein and sugar… only protein and sugar. The smell of complex carbs grilled in a puddle of saturated fats must have been oddly mouthwatering simply because she so rarely tasted them. She subsisted on the finest luxury food money could buy and yet she had to lick the drool from her lips in the presence of a grilled cheese sandwich.

Sylas pressed his spatula into the crispy bread, and split the sandwich into four pieces. The boy removed one of the slices, and slid the remainder across the counter. The Eevee perked up and shifted her paws excitedly as she was presented three quarters of the gooey sandwich, but still stopped herself to look for assurance that she was invited to eat his lunch.

“These sandwiches are always a bit big for me~” he smiled playfully to the normal type before popping his share into his mouth. It wasn’t worth making another sandwich, and it was obvious that he didn’t want it as badly as she did. As he tucked the ingredients away in the refrigerator, the Pokemon dug into the cheesy mess, holding the buttery bread between her forepaws and tearing off large chunks with her teeth. She wolfed down the remainder of the sandwich with such vigor and speed that she was licking the crumbs from her plate before Sylas could finish washing the dirty pan.

The boy chuckled silently, put the pan away, and gave the normal-type an affectionate scratch on the head. The Eevee rolled her fluffy noggin against his palm, wordless gratitude for the oddly special lunch.

“Ah well, I have to get back outside… I’ll see you later this evening, ok?”

The Pokemon shrank upon hearing this. Now she had to go back to where she came from. Now she had to return to the despondency of endless artificial affection and the inability to evolve from it. For a moment, she got to sit with someone who actually seemed to care about her, but that moment had passed.

Sylas frowned at her reaction. If he brought her back to the study after a response like that, he would be abandoning her, sending her back to the source of her misery. Sylas couldn’t live with himself if he left her to endure that... but maybe he didn't have to. After all, his father might appreciate it if she did something fun this afternoon. Bringing her along would actually be doing his father a favor. It would save him the trouble of having to pretend to care about her. 

“Hey~” he chirped. “Would you like to go stone hunting with me?”

Eevee’s ears flicked up and her eyes widened at the suggestion. “Eevee?!”

“Sure, we could explore one of the nearby forests for a couple hours... or we could walk over to Lake Verity and go swimming…”

Eevee’s tail wiggled to life at the latter suggestion. Sylas laughed.

“Well, the lake is only a couple miles away, I’m happy to take you~” He opened his arms, inviting the normal-type to climb into them. This was an offer she happily took. With a running start, the Pokemon leapt from the counter against the boys chest. The boy responded to her excitement with a chuckle, and promptly after, they were out the door.

The boy carried his new friend to the edge of the property, but the excitable curiosity of his companion combined with his quickly tiring arms forced him to set her down. The moment her paws hit the ground, she was all over the place, following her nose to a flower she had never sniffed, or swiveling her head towards a sound she had never heard, or carefully approaching a wild Pokemon she had never seen. Sylas found it charming, and a little bit sad. It made him happy to see her having such a blast, but it was pathetic that it was over something so simple, a walk.

The two progressed towards their destination rather slowly considering the capricious meandering of the Eevee’s intrigue, but Sylas was in no hurry. He couldn’t explain it, but the childlike wonder in her eyes, the joyous spring in her step, the dopey grin on her face... He could watch her explore the world forever.

The Sinnoh region had many smaller lakes scattered about, but Lake Verity was famous for several reasons. Its inordinate size put it on the map, but its beauty and mythology put it in people’s hearts. The water was always clear as glass and was a refreshing place to swim on a hot summer day. Despite this, it was never too busy. It was quite a hike from Sandgem or Twinleaf, and its protected status among wildlife service property prevented large buses of tourists from cluttering up the lake with people.

When Sylas and Eevee reached the lake, there wasn’t a person in sight, a couple wild Pokemon sipping from the edge, but not a single other human. Eevee approached the water tentatively. She leaned in and sniffed at the surface, flinching away as a small wave splashed her nose. Regaining her composure, the normal-type took a few cautious steps into the shallowest part of the lake. Another small wave lapped at her legs and she promptly retreated to the safety of the bank. Apprehensive with the vista of uncertainty before her, she looked back at Sylas with pleading eyes.

“What’s the matter, Sweetheart?”

Eevee shifted uncomfortably.

Sylas tittered at the realization that she doesn’t get out very much. “Ah, you don’t know how to swim, do you?”

She shook her head, ashamed at his laugh despite the gentle nature.

“Welp!” Sylas chirped as he pulled his shirt off. “That’s ok! This is a great time to learn!”

Eevee watched the human wade into the water with eyes wide and ears raised, amazed at his confidence in entering the frightening unknown. Her gaze shot between the boy and the mysterious abyss that swallowed up his legs, half-expecting him to be pulled into the lake by a great monster, never to resurface. 

When Sylas was knee-deep in the water, he turned and gestured for his companion to follow.

“Your turn~” he welcomed, hand outstretched as a destination for her to walk to.

Eevee hesitated at the water’s edge. The water lapping at her toes frightened her on an instinctive level and her feline heart quivered at the thought of being submerged in the lake. Despite this, she took a deep breath and followed Sylas in. 

The sight of the normal-type’s awkward steps through the water softened the boy’s heart. He moved to meet her where the water reached her neck and gave her an affectionate pat on the head for passing the first hurdle without much trouble.

“Ok, swimming is primarily about balance, especially for you. It’s about keeping your head above the surface and pushing water behind you with your legs, ok?” Sylas did his best to be as inviting as possible with his instruction, keeping it simple and easy.

Eevee nodded her head uncomfortably, stiffened in fear at the water tickling her throat.

“But the most important thing is to relax. Try not to panic if you fall below the surface, I will always be right here to help you, ok?”

Eevee pulled her attention from the terror surrounding her and looked up at the human. The soft smile he offered soothed her heart and eased her nerves. She nodded, more calmly this time. She trusted him.

“Now,” he set his hands on either side of her ribs. “Just relax, and focus on me for now.”

Eevee squirmed a little as her paws left the sandy floor of the lake. Remembering herself, she quieted her initial urge to thrash about and locked her eyes onto the human’s. With her attention fixed on the boy’s welcoming smile, it was easier to forget the fact that he was slowly pulling her into a deeper part of the lake.

“Ok, let’s begin by introducing you to the concept that will make swimming easy to learn. Could you please take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can?”

Heeding her teacher’s instruction, Eevee inhaled as deeply as she could and held it in with puffy cheeks. His hands faded from her sides, forcing a rush of fear to run up her spine. After several heartbeats, her head was still above the surface. Sylas lifted his arms out of the water, opening his palms to his floating companion.

“You’re body floats when your lungs are full,” he explained, but as soon as he did, Eevee’s eyes grew wide with panic as she lost her balance. She twisted and fell into the lake, thrashing and pleading for help. The feline continued to squirm frantically even after she was lifted from the water, supported once again by a pair of strong human hands.

“It’s ok,” he giggled. “I’ve got you~”

Eevee looked up at her saviour with ernest appreciation. Nothing reinforced trust quite like exercising it, and being lifted from the despair of drowning so promptly had a profound effect on the normal-type. She looked up at the human with what appeared to be amazement, but it was actually gratitude beyond expression.

“Now, for you, swimming is a matter of keeping your lungs full as you paddle at the water with your paws. Let’s practice paddling a bit, then we can try doing both at the same time. Are you ready?” 

Eevee nodded enthusiastically, the fear of drowning gradually melting away in the presence of her new friend. 

The two spent the rest of the day in the water, slowly improving the distance that the normal-type could dog paddle along without human intervention, and taking breaks when they needed to. By sundown, Sylas waded beside the Pokemon for a good 50 feet before she tired out and asked for help. Her movements were still inefficient, and it was obvious that she was trying too hard to keep her head out of the water, but it was great progress for her first day.

Too tired to walk home, the duo stopped to dry off beside the lake, soaking up the last vestiges of sunlight as they rested. They sat in companionable silence, the setting sun providing both a quiet ambience and mild entertainment.

“Did you have fun today?” Sylas asked. He broke the pleasant silence not for simple small talk, but a serious conversation that he needed to have now, while they were alone.

“Vee!” She nodded energetically.

Sylas paused as he gathered his words carefully. “You know... If you enjoy swimming… you might want to evolve into a Vaporeon instead…” He looked off as this subject made them both uncomfortable.

Eevee perked up. Her head tilted in a mixture of confusion and concern. 

“I mean, I know Dad can be a little… overbearing at times… and he’s pretty opinionated about what he wants you to become… but he’s not a monster. He would understand if you wanted to be something other than an Espeon...” Sylas returned his gaze to the normal-type. “Do you?”

Eevee shrank at being put on the spot. She thought on the question for a moment, but ultimately, she shrugged. She had obviously never thought about it before.

“No?”

“Vee…” she droned, ashamed that she didn’t have a better answer.

“Well… That’s ok. It’s a very big decision that you have to make on your own… And I want you to be the one to make it… So, just know that you don’t have to stay with my Dad if you don’t want to.”

“Eevee?” she asked, obviously wondering what he meant by that. 

“Well, I could find you a different owner if you’d like. I know some people in town who would love to have a sweetheart like you! A couple of my friends are trainers that are planning to go on their ‘grand adventure’ soon… Oh! And my friend Lisa is looking to be a Pokemon coordinator! She’d love to meet you!”

Eevee’s brow furrowed at the suggestions.

“Don’t want to be a contest Pokemon, huh?” Sylas shrank slightly. He wanted so badly for her to be happy. Eevee seemed miserable to be in this constant loop of obligatory affection and failing to evolve. “Well, what do you want to do?”

The normal-type rose to her feet, a soft smile gracing her lips. She walked over to the human and climbed into his lap. Sylas chuckled as the feline circled around his thighs and made herself comfortable, spreading herself out and looking up at her new partner with a proud grin.

“Eevee~” she asserted. A translation would be something like: ‘I want to be right here~!’

“With me, huh?” Sylas laughed. “If that’s what you want, I don’t mind taking you with me!” he set a hand on Eevee’s belly and gave it an affectionate rub. 

\---

A glimpse into the past. Life flashing before him as he withered in the cold darkness. One last moment of remembrance before oblivion. Sylas waited for it to continue. This was but one of his fondest memories, and if death had any mercy, he would get to experience a couple more before meeting with emptiness.

But nothing came. The same cold nothing that first greeted him when he slipped away. A shiver twisted down his body, a mixture of dread and numbness. He could barely feel, but anything that he could feel was agony. He instinctively curled into himself, a desperate attempt to cling onto the last vestiges of warmth that his frozen heart might offer, but in this hell, all that he could cling to was… a pillow?

A… Something. Despite his best efforts, Sylas found it impossible to curl into a fetal position. Something was tucked against his chest. Something that gently radiated heat from it’s soft presence. Something that squished and shifted under his curious touch.

Sylas hugged the mysterious mass desperately. The warmth it offered was so dull that it was maddening. It was enough to banish the numbness in his limbs, but the process was unbearably slow. Regaining sensation in one section only made him more acutely aware of the stinging cold that festered in other parts. No matter how he clung to the unknown object, he couldn’t speed his recovery, and waiting for the agonizing cold to be dispelled was beyond frustrating.

Sylas shifted his arms and squeezed the object as hard as he could, perhaps hoping that it would envelop him if he tried hard enough, but instead, the object giggled at the feeble attempt. 

“[_ Hey now _ ~]” it cooed. “[ _ It’s ok, I’m here~ _]”

Sylas paused upon hearing the voice. It sang to him like a mother soothing a crying child, an angel easing the conscious of a dying man. It sounded foreign and yet… so familiar. It vaguely sounded like Grace, soft and feminine… but it wasn’t. It was deeper, more womanly and mature. More importantly, it wasn’t a series of ‘Eevee~’ chirped over and over again, it was a different name. Sylas was so well-practiced with translating what Grace was saying that he couldn’t remember the root of the voice he just heard. 

Sylas shifted away from the mysterious heated pillow. This was a dream, a state of suspended consciousness, limbo, something. Whatever it was, he needed to escape from it. He didn’t know what that voice was. He didn’t know what this warm mass he clung to was. All he knew was that they were distractions to what was important right now. Grace was shivering and alone on the mountain somewhere, wondering where her owner was and how she would escape the frozen mountainside without him. As long as his heart still beat, Sylas had to make it back to her. He had to protect his little girl from the unforgiving cold, because no one else would! If he dies here, she will die too!

Just as Sylas began to crawl away from the mysterious mass, it moved with him, pinning him against the ground with its surprising weight. Sylas’ heart jumped out of his chest. He was trapped. He thrashed and fought to free himself from under the fluffy monstrosity, but was stopped cold when the voice returned.

“[_ Master! Everything’s ok! Please stop! _ ] _ ” _It begged.

All at once, Sylas returned to his senses with dizzying speed. After a couple weak coughs, he was reintroduced to the world around him. Many things from his dreamscape were the same in reality.

He was wet and cold. The freezing river water still clung to his skin and numbed his body. He was in a dimly lit cave; not quite the pitch black he was previously steeped in, but the daylight from earlier was almost gone. All that illuminated the rocky walls was a faint glow emanating from the cave’s entrance. Outside, a great blizzard swirled around, vestiges of a setting sun barely penetrating the thick void.

Waking up revealed another consistency with his dream. The fluffy mass that offered warmth, the weight that pinned him to the ground, the owner of the enigmatic voice, were all quite real. Opening his eyes only gave life to a horrible creature. The dim light of the cave outlined the form of a great beast that loomed over him. The monster peered down at him with black, pupiless eyes. The unknown animal opened it’s powerful maw, and… politely asked with her soothing voice:

Sylas stared stupidly at the fire-type for several heartbeats, taking far longer to come to the conclusion that should have been obvious. She stared back, unsure if she should be the first to talk. She watched as he blinked at her ears, her nose, and once more at her eyes.

“G-Grace?” Sylas finally stuttered out. The fire-type’s ears folded back and she looked off briefly.

“_ Well… Of course… Who else is dumb enough to jump in after you? _”

Sylas continued to stare at her, eyes wide and lips parted, dumbfounded. “You jumped in after…” In an instant, he remembered what happened. Drowned in the frigid rush of water; pulled under the ice sheet; pinned between the riverbed and the frozen surface. A realization so violent that he wiggled desperately out from under her, forcing Grace to her feet as he crawled backwards across the rocky cave. Immediately, the air stung his skin and reminded him of the biting cold that had grown to terrify him. Frightened by the sudden rush of winter, he grabbed at his torso only to find that his coat was gone, as was his… everything. He was completely naked.

“_ What’s wrong!?” _Grace kept close to her panicking owner, giving him enough space to not feel trapped but ready to embrace him once more at a moments notice. Despite the pragmatic footwork, her eyes were as frightened and confused as his were.

Sylas’s thoughts were inundated with memories and sensations, questions and realizations. Through them all, he found no words, nothing to ask, nothing to say. He was surrounded by cold and dark, stranded in a place he didn’t recognize, naked and afraid. Even the companion whose presence should have brought him comfort in this frightening awakening was a stranger, her face and voice transformed into something he didn’t recognize. He looked up at her with tears in his eyes, mouth agape in a loss for words.

“_ Master, it’s ok~ _ ” Grace soothed, her heart softened at the display of fear. “ _ Please, you’ve just endured a near death experience, and I need to keep you warm, _” she explained slowly. 

Sylas tottered slightly and clasped his temple. His head was throbbing with the impact of the world.

“_ Did you hit your head too? _” Grace kept her voice soft and smooth as she crawled between the human’s legs. She nudged his chest lightly with her nose, inviting him to lay back.

“I… I don’t know…” Sylas answered, brain cramping with pain. He didn’t know if he hit a rock with his head on the way under or if this was a symptom of acute hypothermia. Regardless, this wasn’t the time to act irrationally. He tentatively hooked his arms around the Flareon’s neck and allowed her to guide him onto his back. Grace laid atop him like a broody hen warming her nest, wiggling her chest against his so her blond mane could spread out and cover the human’s shoulders and neck. She shimmied her forepaws under his armpits and stretched out her hind legs. Her haunches straddled his thighs, and any parts of his legs that were initially exposed were promptly smothered by an incredibly poofy tail. Her back paws managed to reach all the way down to hug the sides of her owner’s feet, the only extremity still tickled by the frigid air. 

“ _There we go _ ~!” she chirped. “ _Nice and cozy! _”

As awkward as all of this was, Sylas had to agree. The fire-type’s fur gave off its own heat. The moment she settled atop him, he was so warm that it was almost uncomfortable. The frigid air on his head and toes became refreshing rather than terrifying. Even the rocky floor beneath him ceased to be cold after a minute or two, the magical heat of the fire-type warmed the stone so thoroughly that it would stay warm long after the Flareon left.

Grace looked her owner over, wondering if there was anything else she could do to help him. After several moments without an idea, she offered him a tired smile, glad her closest companion was safe and sound under her protection.

The Flareon rested her head against the human’s shoulder. She carefully tucked her ear back to avoid slapping his nose, and shifted into a more comfortable position. She nuzzled her way against his neck and allowed her eyes to flutter shut, exhausted from all of the excitement.

Her voice may have changed, her body may have changed, but the way she cuddled with her owner didn’t. She was obviously much bigger now, but the gentle and affectionate nuzzle was unmistakable. This was his girl.

Grace was breathing next to Sylas’ ear. Slowly and rhythmically, Grace’s heated breath tickled his skin, hypnotic and soothing. Sylas had very little mobility underneath the weight of his Pokemon, but his hands had just enough space to caress and pet the Flareon’s belly. Grace giggled weakly at the gesture. She turned her head and slid her tongue along the human’s neck, returning the affection.

Sylas tried to imagine what happened after he fell in the water. He tried to imagine the look of horror on his little Eevee’s face, the frantic rush to tear open his backpack, the instant decision on which stone to pick up. Sylas’ heart stopped. She didn’t get to make a decision, did she?... Of course she had a decision! He had almost every variety of stone in that bag! Grace had every option open to her except the friendship evolutions!... but picking up the Leaf stone and becoming a Leafeon wouldn’t help the situation, nor would picking up the Thunder Stone. Glaceon might be able to endure the elements better, but doesn’t have a good way to break the ice and drag him out like a Flareon could… and… If she swam after him as a Vaporeon… He’d die of hypothermia. There was only one correct answer if she wanted to save him, and she was forced to pick it.

Sylas’ body shook from several weak convulsions in his chest. His exhausted pokemon lifted an ear to ensure that what was happening was laughter. It was at first, but then it wasn’t.

Grace flinched as a drop of water slid against her temple. When she lifted her head to investigate, she quickly realized it was a tear.

“_ Wha-?! Master!? What’s wrong!? _”

“How pathetic am I?” he asked, voice crackled and hoarse. He forced his gaze away from his companion, eyes quivering and flooded.

Grace tilted her head. “_ W-what do you mean? _”

“I wrestled you away from my Dad because I wanted you to be the one to choose your future… But instead... I was the one who forced you into something you didn’t want...” Sylas droned, tears flowing from his eyes.

Grace rushed to lick the droplets from his cheeks. “_ No, shhhhh. I wanted this~ _ ” she soothed, pausing to press her forehead lovingly against her owner’s. “ _ I chose Flareon, not you~ _”

“T-this was supposed to be the most important choice of your life! but I cheated you out of it!” he croaked, infuriated with his own carelessness. At its root, the whole point of their journey was to help her decide what she wanted, and to Sylas, this was the worst possible outcome.

Grace continued to nuzzle her face against his until she came up with a solid retort. “_ It’s not the most important choice I’ve made, and it’s certainly not a choice that’s worth your life _.” she asserted calmly.

Sylas didn’t respond, unconvinced.

“_ The most important choice was the one I made when you taught me how to swim. You noticed that I looked unhappy around your father… and you asked me what kind of owner I wanted instead. I’ve never thought about it before you asked, but you were right. I was lonely and depressed because I thought that that was all my life was going to be. To be a piece in a collection, confined to that house, or confined to my pokeball… I wanted an owner who would show me the world. I wanted someone who would let me explore, but leap to help me if I ran into trouble. To pull me out of the water when I started to sink… To lift me from the snow when I got cold... _ “ Grace’s gaze slowly drifted away from her owner as she reminisced, but she returned her eyes to him as she offered her conclusion. “ _ So I really don’t care that I ended up as a Flareon. I’ve already made a far more important choice… I chose you… and every day I am thankful that I did~” _Grace leaned in to press her soft lips against the human’s forehead. Sylas chuckled as the kiss lingered for several heartbeats, a duration that truly strained how she felt about him.

When she finally pulled her lips from his head, she looked down at him with a soft smile.

“_ So cheer up, ok? We still have each other, and that’s what’s important~” _ she chirped. “ _ Besides, Flareon wasn’t even a bad choice _ .” Grace paused to admire the pillow of fur surrounding her chest. She looked back and flicked her poofy tail to herself. “ _ Oh yeah~ _ ” she tittered. “ _ That’s right! Flareon is your favorite, isn’t it? _”

“Yeah…” Sylas sensed the incoming teasing and rolled his eyes.

Grace grew a big, elated smile. Poking fun was a fantastic way to cheer her owner up, and boy, could she poke fun about something like this!

“_ I believe your words were: ‘Flareon are the most curvy eeveelution, with their fluffy butts and busty chests~’ _”

“Stop,” Sylas deadpanned. Though his eyes were still watery, his mouth sported a soft smile. 

“_ And then you professed your desire to snuggle up with your own Flareon, because they are so fluffy and thicc. You mentioned how fun it would be to play with their tails, and massage their strong haunches. A privilege that would be lost with athletic twigs like Jolteon~” _

“Grace.” Sylas’ tone grew a little more serious. He wasn’t crying anymore, but it was obvious that she was laying it on a bit too thick.

“_ Hey, your words, not mine~ _ ” Grace tittered, giving her owner a friendly nuzzle for enduring her ribbing. “ _ Although... while I have you naked and vulnerable, it might be a good time to see how honest you were being~ _ ” She wiggled her hips playfully against his. To carry the joke further, Grace then leaned in and whispered softly in her owner’s ear. “ _ After all, your lovely description of Flareon didn’t sound like simple admiration~ _” her tone was smooth and coquettish. She moved her head to Sylas’ other ear and was about to say something even more sexually charged, but he stopped her.

“Grace!”

The Flareon burst out laughing. Sylas only watched, face twisted into a scowl.

“_ Oh, come on! I’m joking! _”

Sylas sighed, he had his reason for not finding it very funny. “Where are my clothes?”

“_ Rest assured, I didn’t strip you just to make you uncomfortable~ _ ” The Flareon grew serious as she recalled her reasoning. “ _ You were blue in the face when I dragged you from the river, and it was starting to snow pretty hard… Even I couldn’t warm you up through a thick sponge of waterlogged clothing without lighting you on fire, so obviously, I had to get you out of your clothes first... _ ” She flicked her muzzle to the side, gesturing to the cave entrance. “ _ They are frozen together in a pile just outside... _”

Sylas couldn’t argue with that. His companion did the right thing. But enduring her teasing had made him rather eager to reclaim his missing clothing.

“Could you get them for me please?”

Grace lifted an eyebrow. “_ How come? You’re already all settled in! _”

“Could you just… please?”

Grace tilted her head. “_ Are you ok? _”

“Yeah… I just…”

“_ You just…? _”

“Grace, please don’t make me say it out loud. I know you were only playing around, but now I’m really uncomfortable with the whole ‘cuddling thing’. So could you please, just...”

“_ Master, you’re not making any sense. If you’re going to tell me to get up and thaw your clothes for you, you can at least tell me why. _”

“Because... Grace…” Sylas seethed. He had no euphemisms that he was comfortable with using, nor could he even imply what was happening as a result of her teasing. To convey his point, Sylas decided that shifting his hips would get the point across nicely.

Grace’s posture shot up immediately, ears raised and eyes wide.

“_ Is that your-!?! _”

“Yes…” Sylas interrupted, highly disinterested in hearing whatever term Grace would choose for his… you know.

“_ I ...Ah… _ ” Grace forced her eyes away from her owner. “ _ Did I do that? _” she asked apologetically.

“It’s fine. I know it wasn’t intentional. I’m just a little... sensitive...” Sylas looked off in embarrassment.

Grace was hesitant to press for more information considering the human’s obvious distress, but after a pause, her curiosity demanded one more question: “_ Is it because I’m a-? _”

Sylas sighed. “Yes, yes, I have a bit of a thing for Flareon, alright? Happy? Can you go get my clothes now?”

Grace almost leapt off of him, reintroducing the human to the bitter cold that occupied the cave. “_ I’m sorry! Yes! Of course! _” she stammered. 

“T-thank you,” the human forced out, the unrelenting cold rattling his voice. Sylas curled up into a tight fetal position, and waited patiently for his Pokemon to help him.

The Flareon hastily trotted out of the cave and dragged in a frozen pile of fabric. A long sleeve of one of the shirts served as a rope to haul the sizable conglomerate of ice and clothing. After the mound was safely inside the cave, Grace stepped on the ice and tore the rest of the long-sleeved shirt from the mix. She whipped it around her shoulder, melting it instantly, and ventured back out into the snowy void outside.

The Flareon returned 15 minutes later with a large bundle of firewood, tied together with the sleeves of the shirt she brought with her. Grace loosened the knot she tied at the cuffs and spilled the assortment of wood onto the ground, most of which were thick branches or small trunks. The ends of each piece were all tipped with blackened char, the result of the Pokemon biting tree trunks into usable logs with Fire Fang.

Sylas didn’t know what impressed him more, the fact that the shirt was strong enough to lasso the heavy mass of wood, or the fact that Grace could lift so much now. The human watched as the Pokemon organized the wood into two piles and used Flamethrower to ignite the smaller one. With a campfire set, Grace ripped apart the remaining pile of frozen clothes and organized them around the blaze. Satisfied with her work, she turned back to her owner, still shivering away in the back of the cave.

“_ That’s probably the best way to get them dry without ruining them… _” she explained.

“T-that’s perfect, Grace. T-thank you.” Even though his partner had completed the task, Sylas made no gesture to beckon her back against his arms, no signs that he was eager to be warm again.

Grace circled her owner several times, looking for an opening to nuzzle her way onto and alleviate his shivering. The Flareon frowned when there was none. Sylas wasn’t just holding his body heat in, he was covering himself defensively, embarrassed by the side of him he revealed to his Pokemon.

Grace walked behind him and mounted herself over his shoulders, warming his back with her belly and bringing her muzzle close to his ear.

“_ Come on, Master. There is no reason to be so shy~ _” The Flareon hummed, shimmying her hips under his to more closely hug his body. She very lightly pulled his shoulders back, guiding him to lean into her. Sylas hesitantly accepted, falling back into the embrace of warm fluff was simply too inviting. As his position opened up, he kept his hands clasped firmly over his privates. 

Grace nuzzled into her owner’s neck as she looked down at his modesty. “_ Do you want to talk about it? _” she suggested, her voice soft and encouraging.

“There is nothing to talk about…” Sylas mumbled.

Grace poked her rough tongue out and dragged it lovingly across his shoulder. Sylas shivered at the pleasant (but slightly unwelcome) gesture.

“_ You know you can tell me anything, right? _” 

Sylas chuckled, “Yeah, I know…”

“_ Then there is no reason to be embarrassed! Every male has their preferences! _”

“Well, yes... but, having a preference for Pokemon isn’t very…”

“_ I think it’s cute~ _ ” She declared proudly. “ _ It just means that you appreciate a special form of beauty. There is nothing wrong with that! _”

“But… Grace, it’s just very weird when you are that ‘form of beauty’.”

“_ How come? _”

“Because you’re… You’re my little girl… and it disgusts me that I’m thinking of you in that way.”

“_ But I’m not little anymore. I’m probably bigger than you! _”

“Yeah… but you haven’t changed at all… You’re still my bouncy little Eevee… Always venturing into the world with a smile on your face and a spring in your step. Even now, you’re unphased by anything, and you’re even trying to comfort me. Telling me that everything is fine after I almost killed myself and forced you to evolve.” Sylas looked off. “And now I’m fantasizing about grabbing your butt and nibbling on your paws like I’m some sick pervert…”

The Flareon laughed. “_ I would let you~ _”

“Grace…”

“_ You’re my partner. I wouldn’t deny you something so simple~ _ ” Grace removed her forepaws from the human’s shoulders and wrapped them around his midsection. Her paws gently rubbed and caressed his lean pectorals for several moments before she moved her mouth close to his ear. “ _ Besides, I think it would be fun~ _” she whispered. Her claws poked out ever so slightly as she dragged her paws down his chest and across his firm abdominals, leaving small red streaks on his skin with lascivious implications. 

Sylas shuddered at her coquettish tone. Once again, his thoughts were plagued with images of his little Eevee in unsavory positions; daydreams of pinching the pads of her paws lightly between his teeth; fantasies of yanking her tail and dragging her hips against his.

“I… I believe you should think about it a little bit more,” Sylas forced out, rattled by the degeneracy of his desires. “That’s not something that you should do just because ‘it would be fun’. That should be reserved for someone special… Someone more special than me…”

“_ More special than the man who saved me from a life of monotony and misery to show me the world?” _ Grace giggled to herself. “ _ Gosh, I might never get to mate with anyone if I have to find someone more ‘special’ than that! _”

“You know what I mean, Grace…”

“_ Apparently, I don't. You’ve been special to me since the day I became yours. Whether we’re in the snow, or the ocean, or the desert, or the forest, or even visiting a new town, there is no one else on this earth I’d rather be with. _ ” She finished her statement by tightening her hold on her owner’s midsection, a hug from behind. “ _ This is no different... _”

“It’s very different, Grace.”

“_ You’re welcome to think so… But… I almost lost you today… I watched you barely breathing and blue in the face for longer than I could bear, terrified that I was too late to save you. Nothing makes me happier right now than to be close to you, to hear your strong heartbeat and your steady breathing. To know that you’re still here, and you’re still mine... if you want to get a little closer to me, to make me feel like I’m still yours… It would make me very happy... _ ” Grace rested her chin on the human’s shoulder before continuing in a more hushed tone. “ _ It would be more ‘special’ to me than you realize... _”

Sylas lifted a hand and set it lovingly over Grace’s paw, holding it against his chest. “Only as long as you’re sure, Sweet Pea” he whispered back, touched by her words.

The Flareon perked up slightly at the vaguely positive response. Her ears, however, promptly folded back as she realized what came next. Next was the part where she became closer with her owner.

Grace moved her head slowly and rested her soft lips against Sylas’ neck, a kiss so gentle that it was almost unnoticeable. Sylas couldn’t even feel the slight pressure difference between her lips until she broke the kiss with a soft click, barely audible.

Laying back on her stomach, Sylas wasn’t in a position to easily kiss her back. He tried to roll his head around hers to return her affection, but she wouldn’t let him. Grace rolled her head back too, and caught her owner’s ear lightly in her mouth.

“Harrrr~” she growled playfully as she nibbled on his lobe. Sylas squeezed her forepaw as a euphoric tingle rushed down his naked body. A kittenish gesture like that was all it took to elevate the human’s heart rate. After a couple moments of his Pokemon tugging and cooing in his ear, he was panting and trembling with sexual excitement.

Grace smirked at the human’s reactions. She peered down his lean body to find that he was still trying to cover himself. One hand was desperately squeezing at her paw, and the other did a pretty poor job and hiding his manhood by itself, especially considering he’d grown a rather eager erection from her foreplay. His shaft was poking out between his thumb and index finger, but he clasped the base and scrotum as though he was still defending his modesty in some way. It was so charming that Grace tittered sweetly into her owner’s ear as she continued to nibble and play.

She moved her free forepaw slowly down his body, taking the time to rub and caress each of his toned muscles along the way. Finally, her soft pads alighted on her owner’s hand.

“_ Show it to me~ _” Grace invited, (despite the fact that most of it was already showing). After a second of hesitation, Sylas removed his hand from his hardened member, allowing it to stand straight up and revealing it fully to his Pokemon.

“_ Oh~ _ ” the Flareon cooed. “ _ So hard and I haven’t even touched it yet~ _”

Grace brushed the soft fur of her paw along the length of the shaft eliciting several sharp pants and gasps from its owner. Once at the top, she set her squishy pads against the head and pulled it down against her partner’s stomach. She rolled her paw around, gently massaging the tip of his penis against his own belly button. Sylas moaned weakly at the slight but intoxicating stimulation. His dick throbbed under her touch with strength and hunger, begging for a more full treatment from her wide, black paws.

“_ Hey now, Master~ _ ” Grace giggled. “ _ If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you might have a bit of a ‘thing’ for my paws~ _” she teased. Sylas didn’t respond, he was too enthralled with the sensations of the Flareon’s supple pads messaging his manhood. His eyes were droopy and unfocused. His lips were relaxed and slightly parted as he panted quietly.

Sylas was hypnotized, and Grace found this exhilarating. She was elated at her ability to make her owner so happy with something so slight. The Flareon was intrigued and eager to see all of the faces of enjoyment she could arouse with not only her paws, but everything she had to offer him now. 

A mischievous smile stretched across her muzzle. For a brief moment, she halted her massage and rubbed her cheek against Sylas’.

“_ Hey~ _ ” she whispered, pulling him out of his trance. He tried to turn his head and look at her, but she nudged him to face forward. “ _ Watch with me~ _” she invited, gazing down at his oozing manhood. Sylas had been so focused on the sensation that he didn’t bother watching her treatment, but he was happy to heed his partner’s request. He rested his temple lovingly against hers, and together they stared down at their pleasure.

A drop of precum rolled against Sylas’ stomach. His shaft twitched involuntarily, waiting anxiously for more attention. Rather than continue rolling her pads against him, however, Grace removed her paw and reset it lower on his member, halfway up it’s length. She didn’t have any opposable digits to wrap her forepaw around his shaft and control it, but she did her best to curl her toes around him. Using his flat stomach for stability once again, Grace slowly pulled her paw up and down his length, stroking him in a rather uncoordinated and rough way.

Obeying his partner’s wishes, he kept his eyes locked on her movements, fighting the urge to throw his head back in orgasmic bliss. He gazed lovingly at her beautiful black pads, how they squished and moved against his erection, how they glistened with traces of his precum, how perfect in form they were, soft to the touch and radiating with gentle heat. 

Sylas gasped sharply as his member began to numb with overwhelming pleasure. His hips squirmed and his abdominals convulsed. He reached down and snatched Grace’s paw from his manhood. He held her forepaws away from his erection and desperately tried to calm himself.

“_ What’s the matter!? Did I do something wrong!? _”

Sylas took a moment to regain his composure, “You may not know this, Sweet Pea, but if you make me feel too good at one time… the fun will be over for a while.”

“_ What do you mean? What’s going to happen? _” Grace tilted her head innocently.

Sylas chuckled nervously. “I’ll show you soon... I’d just prefer it if I didn’t have to show you like this. I haven’t even gotten to touch you yet~”

“_ Yeah...I suppose you’re a little pinned in like this, huh? _”

“A little.”

“_ Ah, well… _ ” Grace’s eyes flicked to the dying campfire. “ _ Why don’t you get into a more comfortable position while I feed the fire, huh? _”

Sylas giggled at the offer and affectionately bumped cheeks with his companion. “Sounds good, Sweet Pea.”

The human rolled forward and allowed his partner up. The cave had grown much warmer over the last hour. The presence of a small campfire near the entrance and a fire elemental dwelling further within had warmed the ambient air to just above ‘chilly’. A stray gust of snow-saturated wind would occasionally whip through the cave entrance, stirring and diluting the accumulated heat, but Sylas could still crawl across the cave on his own without clutching himself for warmth or shivering violently. This was certainly nice because he could watch his companion tend to the fire in relative comfort.

Grace lifted a sizable log from the pile at the entrance. She stirred the sputtering embers for a time before carefully nestling the log amongst them. 

“Where did you learn that?” Sylas asked as the Flareon fetched another piece of wood.

“_ Learn what? _” she asked before biting down on another branch.

“The thing you did… with your paw.”

Grace giggled as she set her piece into the fire. “_ I just started touching around, honestly. Then I just learned from you as I went along. You bleated like a lost Mareep whenever I did something you liked, so I just… experimented. _”

“Wow...” Sylas looked down, amazed that she was able to stimulate him so expertly with no clue of what she was doing.

“_ Do you know exactly how to pleasure me? _”

“Well… No, but I have a rough idea…”

“_ Good! The exploration is part of the fun, isn’t it? _ ” She paused to toss one last log atop of the campfire. “ _ Now~ _” Grace flashed her owner a playful look:

Sylas’ heart stopped at her display. Every bit of her that he hadn’t gotten a furtive glance at was proudly displayed before him: her majestically large tail, soft to touch and inspiring to behold; her sturdy and muscle-bound butt, decorated and padded by a flawless coat of fur; her gently blushed womanhood, pigmented a unique shade of black in stark contrast to her colorful coat. All were features only a Flareon boasted, and all were features that Sylas always found oddly alluring.

Humans don’t get to do this, at least, humans don’t find it acceptable to do this. He’d heard many reasons for this: ‘Pokemon don’t have the emotional capacity for sex’ or ‘Pokemon can’t give consent’ or ‘No Pokemon would ever look at their owner like that’. Regardless of the correct reason, at its core, Sylas knew it was wrong to feel the way he felt. When he was younger, and started looking at certain Pokemon in his… certain way, he always swallowed his desires with the words: ‘It’s never going to happen, get over it’. He would have to settle for a girl without softly padded feet or a big pillowy tail; one without expressive ears to play with or a radiant coat of fur to pet; a human girl with all of the ugly traits that only humans have.

So now, as his dearest companion presented herself to him so eagerly, in a form that he coveted deeply, it was easy to imagine that he died in the river. He died and went to heaven.

“_ Master? My lady bits are getting a little uncomfortable from all the neglect~ _” 

Sylas realized himself. “R-right! Sorry, just… admiring.” The human crawled forward to accept his prize.

Sylas wrapped his hand tentatively around the base of her tail. The Flareon could feel him pause to take her scent in, to tickle her opening with his breath. Grace squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation. After several heartbeats, his lips pressed against hers. Grace gasped sharply at the gentle contact against her womanhood. Sylas’ kiss remained against her feminine folds for several moments, talking time to slowly explore the supple give it had, the burning warmth it offered, the aroma it gave off. When Sylas removed his mouth from her inexperienced slit, evidence of her excitement lingered on his lips. 

He smirked. The sight of her, the smell of her, the taste of her, they wiped away any apprehension that he had before. This wasn’t wrong. It couldn’t be wrong. This was what love felt like, and there is nothing wrong about love.

Sylas’ tongue hung out of his mouth as he leaned back in. He hungrily parted her soft pigmented folds and dragged his tongue along every part concealed within, nibbling on each section of her virgin folds along the way. 

Grace couldn’t hold herself steady. She trembled as her owner ate her out, occasionally squeaking and gasping as waves of dopamine rushed up and down her body. Her stance grew lower and wider as her legs grew wobbly, but she straightened up with a startled hop as one sensation in particular shocked her to attention.

“Yip!” Grace chirped. She landed on her tiptoes, ears and tail raised.

Sylas giggled. “Now, was that a good ‘yip’ or a bad ‘yip’?” he teased. He didn’t get a response beyond fevered panting so he assumed ‘good yip’. Sylas happily leaned back in and returned his tongue to the place it had recently wandered to: her soft, pigmented anus.

“Haaaahh!” The Flareon moaned loudly as her owner’s tongue wiggled its way into her tail-hole. Her anal muscles twitched and contracted involuntarily, only to be pushed aside by the human’s dexterous and persistant muscle.

When he was done playing with her quivering anus, he dragged his tongue out of the top and took the base of her tail playfully in his mouth. He tugged her backwards with his teeth, encouraging Grace to backpedal closer to him. When her hind legs were right up against his knees, the human straightened up and set his hands on her hips. 

Sylas moved his own hips up to Grace’s. His shaft was so rigid that it needed no guidance or support to poke and prod at the Flareon’s eagerly awaiting womanhood. Which was useful, as he could sloppily tease her sensitive opening with a simple twitch of the hips. He used the tip of his dick to squish her labia, to part her folds and press into her urethra, to miss slightly and graze her sensitive clit, to circle and prod the edge of her vagina; all the while, evoking soft moans and coos from the fire-type.

Sylas tightened his grip on her haunches and poked his glans between her folds. 

“Are you ready for me, Sweet Pea?” he hummed.

Grace’s ears perked up as she realized what he was going to do. “_ W-wait! No! _” She stuttered desperately. 

Sylas, surprised at her frantic response, immediately removed himself from her opening. “What’s wrong!?”

“_ Sorry… I just… _ ” Her ears folded back against her neck. “ _ Could we do it the other way around? _” she peeped sheepishly. Sylas tilted his head at her request. His first impression of ‘the other way around’ was a nonsensical scenario where he was on all fours and she was behind him… But that was silly.

Realizing that her request was too vague, the Flareon laid down on the cave floor and rolled over.

“Ah~” Sylas cooed.

“_ It’s silly, I know… I just want to… look at you when you do it… _” she mumbled.

“Oh hush~” Sylas sang. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting this to be special~” He was honestly relieved that she spoke up. ‘Doggy-style’ was likely the least intimate sexual position of all. He was so carried away that he was about to take her virginity with it, something that he would regret once his vision cleared.

Sylas crawled between his companion’s legs and climbed up her body. They shared a thankful smile with each other mere inches apart before sealing their gratitude with a passionate kiss. Grace broke the kiss and licked her owner on the nose. Sylas laughed, but was more than happy to play along. He returned the gesture with a lick across her lips, and soon the two were peppering each other with feverish pecks and licks and nuzzles and kisses, a playful race to show more affection to the other. Missionary was definitely a better choice.

The lover’s mouths were busy exchanging soft kisses and licks. Their hands/forepaws were busy grabbing and massaging each other. Grace caressed and rubbed the human’s firm chest while he groped and played with her fluffy ears. Neither of them knew where their privates were in relation to each other. So in the midst of their energetic exchange of love upstairs, they also had to play a game of marco polo downstairs.

Sylas pushed his hips forward blindly. His dick made contact with something soft, but not wet. Her stomach? He corrected his location and prodded again. His glans pressed against fur that was hotter and more humid. Closer, but still no. Grace felt his manhood feeling around for her opening and moved her hips to help him along. His head squished into something hot and slick. As he pushed forward a little more, his tip was welcomed into an embrace of viscous feminine excitement.

Their feverish attention to each other’s faces slowed and the two shared one final, lingering kiss. Their lips parted slowly, and they looked at each other with lust so powerful that it could be mistaken for astonishment. Grace set her forepaws on either side of her owner’s neck, demanding that he kept his eyes on her the entire time.

He did. Sylas didn’t take his loving gaze off of her for a moment. He couldn’t. 

Sylas moved his hips forward. Grace gasped. His grip on her ears tightened, and her claws poked into his neck. The human penetrated his Pokemon slowly, allowing them to see their emotions and sensations reflected on the other’s face. Grace panted heavily as she looked up at her owner, her agape mouth twitched occasionally in response to small pings of pain from her stretching womanhood. Sylas’ breathing was shorter and faster than his partner’s as he was also experiencing pain of his own, the burning heat of the fire-type’s pussy around his sensitive penis.

When their hips met, they rested, panting and moaning quietly. Grace needed time to adjust to her first penetration, and Sylas needed time to acclimate to the blistering heat of his partner’s fluids. Grace felt like the hottest bathwater one could endure, painful at first, especially on skin that was recently cold. However, over time, the sensation of nearing a first degree burn subsided, his body adapted, and all that was left was a somewhat pleasant hum of warmth.

Sylas’ member throbbed inside of his partner. Now that he wasn’t overcome with the stinging heat, he was able to feel Grace’s lining contract around him in response. It was a tight fit, but not an uncomfortable one for either parties.

When Grace’s countenance began to relax, Sylas started to move. 

“_ Ah~ _ ” Grace reacted positively almost immediately. “ _ Haaah~ _” She moaned, fastening her forepaws around her owner’s shoulders once again. Her tail curled around the human’s thigh and her haunches clung to his waist. She did her best to lift her hips into his movements, to push against his force and to drive a harder impact between him and her cervix. Her womanhood burned with a pleasurable numbness and her heart throbbed in the presence of her owner’s love. She was desperate to do everything she could to help him feel as amazing as she did. 

Sylas thrusted harder into his Pokémon as he grew more confident. The impact on her hips forced the Flareon to recoil back with each pump, and her various grips on the human tightened to compensate.

Grace’s moans gradually grew louder as her owner fucked her. To Sylas, it was music. The high pitched squeaks, the sudden gasps, the humming groans, the squeals of pleasure, it was a symphony of their love and he could listen to her forever. 

There was a new cry, however, that made his heart ache.

“FLAREON~” Grace reached a certain intensity of love sounds that she let loose an utterance of her species name. Sylas found it to be a weird thing to give him heart flutters. After all, everything she ever said was some derivation of her species name that needed to be translated… but this was different. There was no translation. She wasn’t saying anything. She was simply calling out in pleasure in the most natural way she could, and to Sylas, that was oddly breath-taking.

Grace perked up as her owner stopped pumping and laid fully atop her, pressing his body completely against hers. He reset his hands around her fluffy head. Grace, by contrast, moved her paws from his shoulders to around his chest. A hug.

“_ What did- _”

“Shhh, keep singing for me~” he whispered in her ear. From his new position, the mobility of the human’s hips was limited. When he began moving again, his strokes were short and deep, never pulling back by more than an inch before pushing back into her. He held his pokemon close as his manhood kissed her cervix over and over again. Much to the human’s delight, his ear was right next to her mouth when she took his breath away once more.

“FLARE~ FLAREON~” Sylas bit his lip at her beautiful voice. “FLAREON~ FLAAAARE~” He couldn’t imagine anything more melodious than the sound of making the one he loved feel good, but this rang more deeply in his soul than that. It was a reminder of how Grace felt outside of this sexual interaction. He had a bit of a fetish for Pokemon, but she was crossing this species gap between them on love alone. How strongly must she feel about him to want this? Someone who doesn’t even walk on the same number limbs as her, or speak the same language as her? The feminine cries of her species name was a reminder of how different that they were… but none of that mattered now, not to them.

Sylas’ movements grew frenzied and lost their efficient rhythm. Soon, he was so clouded by sexual intensity that he was thrusting into her without even bothering to pull out, merely jamming his hips against her, desperately trying to ram her cervix just a little bit further in.

Sylas pressed into his partner one last time and held himself against her with all of his strength. His dick throbbed happily against Grace’s soft vaginal lining for several moments before spilling a very generous amount of his human seed into her. Not only was it his first time, not only was it with a girl he loved to death, not only was she the embodiment of his darkest desire, but he has also been holding it in since she stroked him with her forepaw almost an hour ago. He had a long list of reasons to cum a lot, so it was unsurprising when he splashed her cervix with wave after wave of his love. It spilled into her uterus, filled every interstice along her vaginal lining, and oozed out of her womanhood. 

“_ Did… Did I make you feel too good?” _ Grace peeped, still unaware of what a male orgasm was or how it worked. She perked up slightly as her owner began to move his hips against her once more. “ _ I-Ah~! I thought you had to-Haaah~ S-stop after that happened! _”

“Not if you haven’t felt ‘too good’ yet, Sweet Pea~” he slurred his words slightly, thoughts still clouded with the dopamine from his climax. Sylas realized he had to hurry. He didn’t have long before his erection faded, and he wouldn’t forgive himself if he failed to coax an orgasm out of his companion on her first time. He reset his hands on either side of her and lifted himself into the position they started in.

The human began pounding his Pokemon once more with full length thrusts, vigor renewed by determination. He moved a hand to Grace’s womanhood and gently rubbed at her clit while he continued to slide his cock in and out of her semen-filled pussy.

“_ Hah~” _Grace moaned. “F- FLAREON~”

“That’s it~” Sylas encouraged lecherously. “Cum for me, my little Eevee~”

Grace’s moans and squeaks grew more frenetic and high-pitched. Her body tensed up as an overwhelming sensation rushed over her. Her forepaws moved frantically around her owner’s firm body, unsure whether she needed to grab onto him or push against him. Her vaginal muscles quivered as they constricted and convulsed around the human’s dick. Sylas thrusted into her several more times to give her pussy something more to feel and tug at when it tightened down. Grace’s toes curled, her tail trembled, and her eyes squeezed shut as she let out one final scream of ecstasy:

“FLAREOOON!~”

The two panted into each other's mouths for several moments. When Grace finally came down from her first orgasm, she looked up at her owner with her big pupiless eyes. They glistened with the light of the campfire and glittered with an intimate warmth. Sylas leaned down and licked her nose. Grace giggled and retaliated with the same gesture.

Eventually, Sylas shifted back and removed his manhood. It was still semi-erect and maintained much of its size, but it was too soft to press into her again. Considering his company, Sylas wasn’t too surprised by his retention.

As the two basked in the afterglow of their partner, Sylas decided to passively play with the beautiful mess they made on each other. He softly poked his dick at her opening several times. His member bent before it had enough force to enter her, but it was oddly romantic to part her pigmented folds and stir their warm fluids together while staring deep into her loving eyes. 

Grace’s mouth pursed as she noticed something, the sensation of a thick fluid tickling her anus and cascading over her tail.

“_ Am I leaking? _”

Sylas chuckled at her phrasing. “Yeah, sorry, you pulled quite a bit out of me...”

Grace tilted her head curiously. 

“Males will…” Sylas paused to search for a euphemism. “Leave something behind when they’re with someone.”

“_ Mmm~ _ ” Grace hummed in loose understanding. “ _ I can feel it whenever my insides twitch… it’s warm… and soft... and it tickles whenever it drips out… _ ” She droned, eyes drooped and sleepy. “ _ Does more come out when the male is pleased? _”

Sylas smiled at her implication. “Yes.”

Grace lifted her paws and pulled her owner down against her, inviting him to lay back down atop her.

“_ I’m glad... _ ” she mumbled into his ear before closing her eyes and setting her head back against the cave floor, exhausted. _ “Your female was pleased, too… _”

A human laying atop of a Flareon’s belly wasn’t the most comfortable position to sleep in. Grace’s sternum was too rounded to lay across for long, and the human’s weight began to strain on the Flareon’s splayed haunches. Eventually, the two rolled onto their side, but maintained the overall position. Grace’s hind legs still straddled the human’s thighs and her forepaws were still wrapped lovingly around his chest. 

Sylas smiled softly at his dozing pokemon as he watched her fade off to sleep.

“Grace?”

“_ Mmmm? _”

“What did you do with your Fire Stone?”

Grace yawned as she tried to recall the answer.

“_ My Fire Stone?… I must have dropped it along the river while I was searching for you downstream… _”

Sylas pursed his lips as he considered sifting through several feet of snow to try and find it. 

“_ Why do you ask? It’s just a worthless chunk of quartz now... _”

Sylas shrugged. “I know it’s silly, but I want to hold onto it… It would make a nice necklace or charm… A little part of you I can wear or carry. So no matter where I go, I’ll always have you with me.”

Grace smiled at the thought. “_ We can look for it if you want… but I don’t think you need it. _ ” She tightened her forelegs around her owner. “ _ I’m always going to be right here, with you. No matter where you go, you will always have the real me following closely behind. _”

Sylas lifted a hand to pet his partner on the cheek. He rubbed his thumb through the soft fur adorning her face and slowly grew hypnotized by the depth of her affectionate gaze. He tried to remember the last time he was separated from his partner, only to come up empty. His bouncy little Eevee was always right there with him, playing and joking without a care in the world.

Sylas smiled. “I guess you’re right, huh?”

The sun had long since set when the lovers conked out in each other's embrace. Outside, wind whipped snow around in a black void, sculpting great snow drifts on the mountainside and pulling at the branches of the pine trees. Despite the violent winds, it was unable to disturb the stone sanctuary that the duo slept peacefully in throughout the night.

When the sun rose, they would set out again. Wandering around in the search of evolution stones like they always had. In a sense, nothing would change between them. They would still be Trainer and Pokemon, they would still be inseparable, and they would still care deeply for each other. All that changed was the way they expressed it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading until the end! I appreciate your interest, and I hope you liked it!


End file.
